Air-brake



(No Model.) 2 sheets-:sheet 1.

A. R.'BOLUSS.

AIR BRAKE.

No. 398,310. Patented Feb-19, 1889.

Eun

ZoL'a me '2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

A. R. BOLUSS.

AIR BRAKE.

Z 9." 1 9. z 0g .l w a w 1w n: d C m W T W a DI@ e f Lg/.z o l o f a a w J 3. \ad OO 9 3 o. NO Q Q01-neg UNiTED STATES PATENT ALFRED R. BOLUSS, OF NORVOOD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE BOLUSS AIR BRAKE COMPANY, OF JERSEY CITY, NEV'JERSEY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 398,310, dated February 19, 1889.

Application tiled August 27, 1888. Serial No. 283,820. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED R. BOLUSS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Norwood, in the county of Hamilton and State ot' Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air-Brakes; and I do de- Aclare the following to be a full, clear, and eX- act description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention has relation to improvements in regulating devices for automatic pneumatic brakes, and the invention will be fully understood from the following description and claims.

An important desideratum in this class of devices has been to provide means whereby the brakes may be instantaneously and positively applied to the wheels of a car-truck or train of cars, thebrakes of one or more cars momentarily released, and in case of an accident in which vthe engineer may be cut off from control of the train to render each car capable of operation, so that an attendant on the car or cars may quickly and easily take charge of the car thus presumably disabled, and by the aid of the auxiliary storage carried by such car successfully apply and release the brakes.

A further desideratnm has been to provide a simple and inexpensive means whereby the engineer may take entire control of a train of cars and positively and quickly apply and release the brakes on all of the cars simultaneously.

A still further desideratnm has been to positively apply the brakes or brake to one or more cars from the main source otl supply without the dependence on valves and auxiliary valves, which have been so often found to become inoperative, or, as is commonly known, to hang in operation; and a still further desideratnm has been to render each car capable of operation,whereby the brakes may be applied on a car a number of times after being disconnected from the train, such apparatus to be so constructed and the parts adapted to utilize the atmospheric pressure and return it to the storage or auxiliary reservoir after acting upon the plunger which actuates the workin g parts.

Theseseveral objects are accomplished by the mechanism shown and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which the objectionable springs and like elements are dispensed with` In the said drawings, Figure il is an inverted plan view of a portion of a car, showing my improvements applied. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view ot my improved device, taken 6o through the valve-chamber or piston-chamber and the plunger-chamber. Fig. 3 is a sectional detail view showing the position of the check-valve; and Fig. 4c is a sectional detail View showing the position of the three-way cock for controlling the supply ot' atmospheric pressure to the auxiliary storage and brake cylindenas well as to the automatic pneumatic device, as I have termed my flexible piston or plunger.

Referring by letter to the said drawings, A indicates the main case, which contains the iiexible plunger or automatic device, which may be formed from any suitable number of parts properly united by screws or other fastening devices, or such case may be formed in a single piece.

B indicates the cylinder in which the piston is operated. This cylinder is connected with the main case A, preferably by a screw- 8o joint and suitable packing. The said cylinder is furthermore provided at one side with a screw-tapped port, a, to connect by a suitable pipe with the storage-cylinder C, a port,

b, to connect by a suitable pipe with the 8 5 brake-cylinder D, a port, c, to connect with a line-pipe, and a port, e., to connect by means of a pipe carrying a ch eck-valve with the said main or line pipe.

E indicates the piston, carrying at one end 9o and within the main case A a flexible device, which I shall now describe in detail. This flexible device comprises a head, d, secured to the end of a piston-rod within the case A by means of a nut or other fastening device and a set of flexible diaphragms, f, one of which is secured at its margin to the marginal portion of the movable head d, and the opposite one secured at its margin to the forward wall of the said chamber. The opposite or inner ed ges roo of these diaphragms are secured to a flanged ring, F, which is arranged loosely upon` the when this automatic device or flexible plunger has been collapsed.

munication between the chambers much less capacity than the said chamber A, and the atmospheric pressure should be shut oit' from direct communication therewith. By having this chamber or cylinder B et' a less capacity or internal. area than the chamber A, as will be presently understood, the said flexible device will always predominate over the cylinder l, and consequently control the movements of its piston-head.

The main case or chamber A is provided Vwith an. inlet-port, i, which is designed to normally receive the air-pressure Afrom the main source of supply delivered through the linepipe, there being a valve provided between this port and the said line-pipe.

I indicates the pipe which leads from the case A, L a pipe which leads from the cylinder B, and K a pipe which also leads from the said cylinder and is provided with Va checkvalve, whereby the air may enterthe cylinder 'Band pass to the storage-cylinder, but will be prevented from returning. These three pipes l, K, and L communicate at one end and also communicate with the port to the line-pipe, being` provided at their junction with a three-way cock, M, so that by turning in one position (being that shown in Fig. 2) the air from the main supply will be free to pass through the pipe I to the chamber A and through the pipe K, having the check- .valve, to the cylinder il, and thence to the storage-cylinder. When this valve M is in the position shown in Fig. fl of the drawings, communication is sluit oli between the main source oll supply and my improved appara- 4tus and communication opened between the cylinder l and the chamber A, and colisequently the storage-cylinder. It will therefore be seen that as the check-valve in the pipe K prevents any return of the air from the cylinderB through the port e the air thus stored when a car has been cut olif from a line through an accident or other cause will first act to apply the brakes by passing through the brake-cyliiider. Now, when it is desirable to release the brake the three-way valve M is turned, so as to .form a eommunication between the chamber A and the cylinder B, when the l'le'xible plunger will again expand, so as to draw back thc piston-head N on the rod E behind thc port l), thereby allowing the air from the brake-cylinder to return to the said cylinder li and exhaust through the ports Zin advance ol' the piston-head. When the cock M is again turned to exhaust the air The ring F has its eye for the reception ol the piston-rod .Il suti Alicientl y large, as shown at 71 to i'orm a coms if and ll. 3 The plunger or 'l'liston-rod E passes from the 1 chamber A into the cylinder which is ol a s sessie 'from the case A, the supply in the storagetank will be again delivered through the cylinder l as the plunger has been advanced through the port b into the brake-cylinder to apply thc brake. vWhen it is desirable by the engineer to apply or release the brakes directl y and positivcl y, the cock )l is turned so las to Vform a communication between the linepipe, the pipe having the check-valve, and the pipe ll. ln this case the air will not pass through the case A, but directly into the cylinder i3, li'orcin forward the piston-head, and pass to the brake-cylinder, when by turning the valve M to eonnnunicate with the cylinderA the air from the storage-cylinder will act upon the flexible plunger, withdraw the piston, and release the brakes.

It should be here observed that but very little air is wasted in the operation of my apparatus, and that no cock or other means is employed between the storage-cylinder and the cylinder B, so as to be always ready to act automatically, the air in the said storage being always free to act both to apply and release the brakes, and I attach importance to this Vfeature of construction. It should also be observed that I dispense with the objectionable use of springs in this class of devices, which have been lfound so objectionable.

The check-valve (shown in Fig. 3.0i the drawings and indicated by the letter P) may be of the usual construction.

It will be seen that I employ a packinggland on the piston between the chamber YA and the cylinder B, so as to prevent communication between the two chambers o r the admission of air from one to the other through the passage for the said piston-rod.

By reference to Fig. 2 of the drawings it will be seen that the port b is providedy with a plurality ol' apertures, s, the one next to the exhaust L being largest and the others decreasing in diameter. The object of this construction is to allow the brake a more rapid movement in the start of releasing and to move gradually thereafterl` IIa-vi n g described my inventionavhat I claim 1s- 1. In a Huid-pressure brake, the combination of a cylinder having ports l'or attachment with abrake-cylinder and storage-cylinder, respectively, a flexible diaphragm arranged in a case, a piston-red having one end secured to a diaphragm and having its opposite end secured to a piston-head in the cylinder, a pipe connecting the case with the cylinder and carrying a three-way cock, and a pipe connecting the cylinder with the pipe leading from the cylinder to the diaphragm-case, and having a check-valve, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, with a case, such as A, of a cylinder, such as I3, the .latter being of much less internal area than. the former, th e piston-rod workin g in the respective chambers, having at one end a head and at the opposite end within the case A a ilexible device IOC IIO

for driving the sinne, :t pipe, such as K, hmu ing at check-valve, and it pipe, such es L, both leading from the cylinder B, and t pipe, sueh es T, vconnected with the main curse A,1he .seid pipes cominunientingl at their outer ends :uid also eon'ununicnting with the line-pipe, sind :t three-wey cock arranged et the junction oli' the respecti vc pipes7 subst :intiullli :is speci lied. S. The combination, in :i :Huid -pressure brake, substantially its described, off the cyl inder B, having' the exhaust-ports nl; it s outer end, and. the port conneeting' with the hre-kecylinder, the lutter port. having graduated apertures s, and the piston-rod having n heed whereby the action of the brake in releasin Will be rapid et the start and then gradual.

4L. In e pneumatic brake, the combination, with the main case having e single communicating aperture, of the piston-cylinder having' a less internal area than said case, a rigid piston-rod passing through a gland in the cese, so that one end will extend into the cylinder, t flexible device7 constructed is shown, secured to the end of the piston-rod Within the i,

euse :ind a head secured to the opposite end thereof, apipe leading' from the only port of the case to the interior of the cylinder, so that tl uid nifty he carried to sind from the ease by the sinne pipe, mid L three-wary coeli :irrmfiged in the pipe :it :t point where the sinne eonnects 'with :i line-pipe, .substantially nis specilied.

ln :i Huid-pressure brake, :t pistoncylinder, such :is described, haring :in exhaust; et its outer end ftnd n, port in reur'of the eX- lmust to eonneet with :t brnlce-eylinder, said port having 2t plurality of apertures which Vary in size, Whereljiy in the lmclumrd Stroke of the piston orvaive rod the largest port will be rst uiicovered to the exintust, so that the action of the brake will Vbe rapid at the start and then gradual, suhstnntiztlly is specified.

In testimony whereof I affix mysignature in presence of two witnesses. l

ALFRED R. BOLUSS. iVitnesses:

EMMA M. GILLETT, JOHN G. KROHR. 

